European otter vs Gray-lined Hawk

Lutra lutra compared with Buteo nitidus

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while Gray-lined Hawk is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	Gray-lined Hawk
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Buteo
Species	Lutra lutra	Buteo nitidus

Evolutionary Relationship

European otter and Gray-lined Hawk share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Gray-lined Hawk

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	Gray-lined Hawk
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	10 years	—
Average Length	1.0 m	—
Average Weight	10.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

European otter

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Gray-lined Hawk

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

European otter

Sleek semi-aquatic mustelid found along clean rivers, streams, and coastlines across Europe and Asia. European otters can reach 1.3 meters in length and are highly skilled fish hunters, using sensitive whiskers to detect prey movements. Requiring unpolluted water with abundant fish, they are an indicator species for freshwater ecosystem health. Once nearly extinct in Western Europe from hunting and pollution, populations have recovered significantly following water quality improvements.

Gray-lined Hawk

Gray-lined Hawk (Buteo nitidus) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway